The birds are chirping, the snow is thawing and the animals (along with you) are coming out of hibernation. After surviving the abominable 70-degree winter of our beautiful city, don’t you think it’s time to celebrate the return of spring? There’s no better way to do so than by planting your own garden! Not only are gardens adorable, but you also have the freedom to make yours as tiny or huge as you want, filling it with anything from flowers to herbs to veggies.

My personal favorite is an herb garden—a triple threat because it’s visually appealing, edible and (depending on what you grow) wonderful-smelling. HomeLife’s tutorial consists of two super-easy steps: planting and caring for your seeds, and then transferring your seeds once (and if) they outgrow their original home. Basil, chia and mint are three prime candidates for the Marlborough  girl’s garden: Load up your caprese, enhance your green smoothie and then whip up some mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert! Stores also sell sets that you can buy in order to make growing your garden, like this one or this one, effortless.

In a few weeks, when your plants have erupted into life, perch them on your windowsill in order to subtly flaunt them to whomever enters your room (never mentioning that all you did was dump dirt in a pot, shove some seeds in and sprinkle a little water when you remembered to do so.

If you want to go bigger, you could try vegetables outside: beets, cucumbers and peppers are just a few of the options to go for. Happy planting!